Devices for use in separating threads



Dec. 3, 1968 N. A FELD DEVICES FOR USE IN SEPARATING THREADS Filed Dec.9, 1966 FIGZ ' Arroe/vsx WA 5 M 5 u w v! 5 nited States Patent 3,413,791DEVICES FOR USE IN SEPARATING THREADS Nellie Ancona Feld, 100 Avenue P,Brooklyn, N.Y. 11204 Filed Dec. 9, 1966, Ser. No. 600,432 Claims. (Cl.572.3)

This invention relates to devices for use in separating one or morethreads or strands from a larger number thereof, which are twistedtogether, held together or are stuck together to form a single bundle ofthreads.

In needlework, such as embroidery, petit point, gros point or crewelwork, an operator is usually provided with a bundle comprising a numberof threads or strands of cotton or wool which are togethercoextensively. These threads may be stuck together or twisted togetherand the operator or user has to separate one or more threads from therest. This operation has been difiicult. An object of this invention,therefore, is to provide a device of the character described to aid inor facilitate separating one or more threads from the rest of thethreads in the bundle of threads. With this device one end of the bundleof threads is wedged unto a hook of a Weighted device. The operator thenseparates the desired number of threads from the rest of the threads inthe bundle at the opposite end, holding the selected threads betweenfingers of one hand and the rest of the threads gripped by fingers ofthe other hand. The hands are then moved apart to pull the selectedthreads from the rest of the threads. During such movement the weighteddevice will rotate to untwist the bundle and facilitate the separationof the threads. At the end of the untwisting operation, the threads arepulled oil the weighted device.

A further object of this invention is to provide a weighted device ofthe character described provided with a spring hook provided with awedging groove into which the \lower end of the bundle of threads may beeasily but tightly wedged.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed, comprising a box. The box comprises a bottom case filled withweighted material and into which the base of the hook is embedded, withthe hook projecting above said case.

- Yet another object of this invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described, a cover hinged to said case which when closedcovers the hooking end of the hook.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described, in which a weighted piece of metal is embedded inthe material which fills the case.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described, in which the case and its cover may be opened up toa position where the case and cover are in horizontal alignment so thatthe cover aids in swinging the weighted device during the untwisting ofthe yarn.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a strong, ruggedand durable device of the character described which shall be inexpensiveto manufacture, safe and easy to use, and which shall yet be practicaland efiicient to a high degree.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown an illustrativeembodiment of this invention,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the weighted 3,413,791 PatentedDec. 3, 1968 ice device in operation during the untwisting movement of abundle of threads;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of said device; and

FIG. 3 is a side view of the device with parts broken away and incross-section.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, 10 designates a weighted deviceembodying the invention which may be used as an aid in separating one ormore strands, threads or pieces of yarn 11 from the remaining group ofthe threads 12 of a bundle of threads 13.

The threads in bundle 13 may be of wool or cotton or other suitablefibers and may be used in needlework such as embroidery, petit point,gros point or crewel work. The threads or yarn in the bundle 13 arecoextensive and are often stuck together because the fibers of onestrand interengage the fibers of other threads. Sometimes these strandsare twisted together. The user or operator often has to separate one ormore selected strands 11 from the rest of the strands 12 of the bundle13.

Heretofore, this operation has been difiicult and tedious. The device 10embodying the invention may be used as an aid to facilitate separatingone or more strands 11 from the rest of the strands 12 from the bundle13. The device 10 comprises a case 11a to which a cover 12a is hinged.The case 11a may be made of rigid plastic and comprises a bottom wall 14from which there extends upwardly a front wall 15 and a rear wall 16,interconnected by a pair of parallel side walls 17. The case 11a may beof square horizontal shape and may be made of plastic.

The front wall 15 has a top edge 15a, the rear wall 16 has a top edge16a and the side walls 17 have top edges 17a. The edges 15a, 16a and 17aare in a common horizontal plane parallel to the bottom wall 14.Extending upwardly from the rear wall 16 and projecting above edge 16ais a hinge bracket 20 having concavely recessed ends 21. The hingebracket 20 is located closer to one side wall 17 than to the other. Alsoextending upwardly from rear wall 16 and near the opposite side wall 17,are a pair of spaced brackets 22 each formed with a ball head 23.

The casing and the cover 12a may be identical, hence the cover 12a has atop wall 14, a front wall 15, a rear wall 16 and side wall 17. The rearwall 16 of cover 12a has a hinge bracket 20 likewise formed withconcavely recessed ends swingably receiving the ball heads 23 on thebrackets 22 of the case 11a. Also integrally formed with the rear wall16 of the cover 12a, are brackets 22 provided with ball heads 23projecting into the concave ends of the bracket 20, on the rear wall 16of the case 11a. The lower edges of the cover 12a contact the upperedges of the case 11a when the box is closed.

Means is provided to snap the box shut. To this end there is integrallyformed with the front wall 15 of the case 11a adjacent the upper edge15a, a forwardly projecting horizontal ledge or bracket 30 formed withan integrally upwardly and rearwardly inclined round pin 31 whichprojects above the edge 15a. The bracket 30 is located closer to oneside wall 17 than to the other. The pin 31 is located forwardly of thefront wall 15 as shown LlIl FIG. 1 of the drawing. Front wall 15 is alsoformed with a pair of integral spaced semi-conical projections 32. Thefront wall 15 of the cover is formed with bracket 30, pin 31 andsemi-conical projections 32. When the cover is snapped shut the pin 31of the case will frictionally engage between the semi-conicalprojections 32 of the cover, whereas the pin 31 of the cover will engagebetween the semi-conical projections of the case.

The case 11a may be filled with a plastic filler 40 coming up to thelevel of the'top edges 15a, 16a and 17a and forming a block. A metalweighted disc or other member 41 may be embedded in the plastic block 40to add to the weight of the case.

A hook 42 is embedded in the plastic block 40. Said book 42 may be madeof flat metal springwire and c'om-' prises a shank 43, which issubstantially vertical and has its lower end extending down into theblock 40, and it is provided with an offset or bent finger or foot 44 tobetter anchor the hook to the block 40. At its upper end, hook 42 has adownwardly bent, forwardly curved beard or hook portion 45 forming awedging crevice 46 with the shank 43. The upper end of the hook 42 is ofsuch height as to be disposed below the top wall 14 of the cover whenthe box is closed. The beard 45 projects forwardly toward the frontwalls 15. When the box is closed the cover 12 protects the hook frombeing damaged and prevents the hook from damaging or hurting anybody.

When the box is opened up to a position where the cover and case arehorizontally aligned, the lower end of a bundle of threads 13 may bewedged into the wedge shaped crevice 46 between the beard 45 and theshank 43. The operator or user may then grasp the upper ends of thethreads 11 between fingers of one hand, and the upper end of theremaining threads 12 may be grasped by fingers of the other hand. Thetwo hands of the user may then slowly move apart to separate the threads11 from the threads 12. During this operation the weight of the open boxcauses the bundle 13 to be held in vertical position and the opened upbox rotates to permit untwisting of the bundle 13. During this operationthe threads 11 form an angle with the threads 12 as shown in thedrawing, and as the threads are pulled apart, more and more of thethreads 11 become separated. When the separation reaches the hook 42,said threads may be pulled off the hook and pulled apart.

It will thus be seen that there is provided an apparatus and article inwhich the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which iswell adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and asvarious changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it isto be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

1. A weighted device comprising a base, a hook member of springmaterial, means to anchor the lower end of said member to said base,said member having an upper hook portion projecting upwardly above saidbase, and forming a wedging groove, and a cover on said base enclosingthe upwardly projecting portion of said member.

2. The combination of claim 1, said base comprising a case, and saidanchoring means comprising molded. weighted material in said case withsaid lower end of the hook member embedded in said material.

3. The combination of claim 2, said cover comprising a case hinged tosaid base case.

4. The combination of claim 2, said case and cover being identical.

5. The combination of claim 2, said base case having a bottom wall, sidewalls and front and rear walls, said cover comprising a cover casehaving a top wall, side walls and front and rear walls, with the loweredges of the side, front and rear walls of said cover contacting theupper edges of said side, front and rear walls, respectively, of saidcase, means to hinge the rear wall of the case to the rear wall of thecover, and means to latch the front wall of said case to the front wallof'said cover.

6. The combination of claim 2, and a piece of metal embedded in saidmaterial to add weight to said case.

7. The combination of claim 5, said base case and cover case being madeof transparent plastic.

8. The combination of claim 1, said hook member comprising flat metalwire.

9. The combination of claim 8, and said hook portion facing forwardly.

10. The combination of claim 1, said cover being hinged to said base andsaid base and cover having mutually interengaging latch means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

JAMES L. KOHNEN, Assistant Examiner.

1. A WEIGHTED DEVICE COMPRISING A BASE, A HOOK MEMBER OF SPRINGMATERIAL, MEANS TO ANCHOR THE LOWER END OF SAID MEMBER TO SAID BASE,SAID MEMBER HAVING AN UPPER HOOK PORTION PROJECTING UPWARDLY ABOVE SAIDBASE, AND FORMING A WEDGING GROOVE, AND A COVER ON SAID BASE ENCLOSINGTHE UPWARDLY PROJECTING PORTION OF SAID MEMBER.